Means for cleaning filters



Nov. 30 1926. 1,609,265

A. c. MENGE MEANS FOR CLEANING FILTERS Filed Oct. 22, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet ,1

Nov. 30 1926.

A. C. MENGE MEANS FOR CLEANING FILTERS Filed Oct. 22, 925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 a 3 m 1 My: 2 H, 5 4 a z z m J i: fi

Z MW m a 1 a d 7 4 I I. fl 1wn K 1 6 6 Z Z Now, 30 1926. A. c. MENGE mms FOR CLEANING FILTERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 22. 1925 m7 attoz um I -35 Fig. is'an-enlarged section on :the line Patented Nov. 30, 1%26.

ANTON written, 'or'nnw-onrnans. ronrsrnnln Assren-onononn-nrei-rrniro' snsrrrvn A. LLnM-Bmsor n-nwontnans, no'oIsrANn.

eans Fen mar-me IEIUIERS.

' llpplication fil ed Qctoher" 22, 1925. serial no.e4;2e7.

This invention relates to filters and more particularly to filters employed" in the treatment of --sugar a j u-ices. lheinvention .rel'ates particularly tomeans for cleaning ac- 1 cuinulations irons the surfaces of the filter cellswand has for its-object the provision of mechanismwhich willjoper-ate automatically totravel over the entire surf-ace ofeach cell and remove therefrom all the accumuiio :lations which tend to clog the filtering process. The invention includes means for automati-ca'lly reversing the travel of the clean ing elements so that they will operate continuonsly to travel back and forth over the i-'5 surfaces'of thecells-and remove all impurities. The invention alsoincludes means whereby a stream ofwater will be directed upon thecel-ls at the ,poi-nt where'the cleaning elements engage-the same and-will fol- Ifio low the movement of the cleaningelements.

The-invention is illustratedin the accom- :pany-ing drawings-and consists incertain novel features which willbe hereinafter :first I fully described and then more particularly pointed out in the-appended claims.

a In the -drawings: I I

- Figure lis atop plan View, partly broken awayand partly in horizontal section, showingone embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same part- :ly broken away and partly in vertical section' I Fig. 3 is an end elevation with parts "broken away andparts in section;

l lof1 ig-.-2;

Fig.- 5 is an enlarged section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.; I "Fig. 6 is an enlarged to =66.-of Fig. 2; p I v Fig. 7 is asection on the 1ine 7 -7 of Fig. -2, 'and Fig.- 8-is an bing chain. h "The-filter proper comprises a .casing 1 which is of the usual orany approved construction and is secured to a fixed support in any desired manner- Within the casing 1 filter cells 2- are supported ,upon 59 brackets-3 arranged at or near .the topof the casi11g;-and-these cells extend in parallel planes transverselv-of the. 035mg f end to end thereof. The :filter cells consist of Y wire :netting covered with textile 55 fabric 71*and forming a hollow box or section :on the line enlarged detail ot the scrubchamber, as will-be'understood ,upon reterence to Fig. 6. Rods 72 pass through the top ,bights or folds of the netting and have their ends seated in the brackets to suspend the cells. "The bottom otthecasing 1 .1

is tapered toward its-center irom its-ends and itssides, as indicated at-4l, and at the center of the casing a Ticoupling 5 is connected to the bottomthereo f through-ailinlet pipe 6. Short lateral p'ipes 7 connect y the T 5 with the parallel pipes'.8 .and 80, cut-oft valves 81 and 82 being provided-in the pipe 8 atopposite sides-of the pipes 17 c i V while'the pipe likewise :is .provided'with simllar valves 83 and-'84. Atc onesi-de, the vp1pe8 1s connectedto the source ot-sugar juice supply and thepipe 80-=.is-conn'ected with a reserve tank, the flow being controlled by the valvesSlandBZi, respectively. At the opposite side, the pipe 8 is connected with a water supply-and the pipe 80 leads to .awaste discharge the- 110w being controlled by the valves-82 andSl; respectively.

A manifold 9 extendslongitudinally of the casing :below the same, and i this manifold is connected with the several cells by-pipes .10, each ot which is-equipgped with lacutoff valve 11, a pipe 12, lead'ing from one end of themanifold to an air pump for other 'vacuumrreati-ng; 1nechanism .(not- 1 shown). The pipe 12 is'equipped with a cut-elf valve .12 which is normally closed.

I secure in eachnpper corneriot the casing a bracket 13 which provides a bearing for the upper'ends of shafts 14 and l5,'.th e

" lower ends of said shafts being meta-m fitted in packing boxes 16., secured npon the bottom of the casing, and theishaft :14 :be-

tween its ends constituting a-threaded rod 1' or fine wornr, as shown at 17, while the shaft 15 between its ends carries it, coarse. worm f18. In F ig, 4 I have shown an arrangement whereby -thesha'fts 14' and 15 are so sup- ,portedthat. grit cannot have access to the bearings. Long bolts 7 3 depend from the bottom of the ;casing through-the'fianges of the box 16 and nuts .74 on the bolts hold the boxfiag'ainst the bottom of the casing. Lower .nuts'75, mounted onth'e b'olt's below the gland 6, hold. thesg'la nd i'n' close' .en; gagement with the box. Belowfthe" gland, spaced collars 7.7 are secured upon the shaft and .a supporting plate"78 is engaged between these collars 1 and around fthe shaft, the ends ot the plate being secured'upon the are fitted upon the WOII1S or threaded shafts 17 and are thereb adaoted to travel verti V a u w l n cally, being gulded 1n thelr vertical movements by the sand ribs 19, as Wlll be understood. Upon each endof the box 20 is pivotally mounted a cleaner arm 85 which is Jressed into en a 'ement with the worm 17 n b b l u 0 by a spring 86 and 1s equipped at its free end with a brush or scraper 87 fitting'to.

and riding in the thread of the worm so as to remove grit therefrom. Extending "from end to end of the casing ateach side thereof is a brush shaft 21 which has its ends journaled in the adjacent boxes 20 and is equipped near each end with a worm gear 22 meshing with the adjacent coarse worm 18 so as to be rotatedthereby. Disposed upon each shaft 21, between the vertical planes of the several filter cells 2, are sprockets '23 about which are trained brush chains 24. The alternate links of the chains 24 carry lateral brushes 25 which bear at their ends against the surfaces of the respective cells so that when the shafts 21 are rotated these brushes will be caused to-travel transversely of the casing and scrape therefrom the accumulated matters which tend to clog the filtering operation. It will be understood that the shafts 14 and 15 are simultaneously rotated and the engagement of the worms '18 with the worm gears 22 rotate the shafts 21 while therotation of the finer worms or threaded shafts 1? will effect vertical travel of the journal boxes 20 and thereby cause the said shafts 21 to travel vertically within. the casing while they are rotating, the brushes being thereby caused to travel vertically as well as transversely over the surfaces of the cells and treat the entire area thereof. The brush-carryinglinks are also equipped with. cutting or scraping knives 88 which cut through or break up the accumulation or cake'of matter between the I cells before the brushes reach it so to provide a path or clearance which will permit the brushes to operate etliciently on the sides of the cells. I

To the lower ends of the shafts 14 and 15 are secured gear wheels 26 and 27 which intermesh so that the said shafts will be rotated simultaneously, and the lower end of the shaft 14 is extended below the gear 26 thereon and equipped with af'beveled gear 28 meshing with a beveled gear29 secured upon the driving shaft 30 which is mounted in suitable brackets 131 secured upon the end walls of-the casing, the several shafts and gears thus far described being duplicated at the two ends of the casing, as shown andas will be understood, with the exception that the driving shaft 30 is extended beyond one end of the casing to receive the actuating mechanism while the corresponding shaft- 31 at the opposite side of the casing is not connected directlywith the actuating meclr anism but is connected indirectly therewith through the medium of gearing about to be' described. Upon each shaft 30 and 31 at the driving end of the apparatus, 1 secure a beveled gear 32 which meshes respectively with similar gears 83 upon the opposite ends of a worm or threaded shaft 34 which is mounted in bearings 35 secured upon the adjacent end of the casing, a guide rod 36 being also secured to and extending between said bearing brackets. A slide 37 is provided with an internally threaded bore engaging the threaded shaft 84 and is also engaged with the guide rod 36 so that it may slide along; the same. The shaft30 is equipped with opposed loose pulleys 88and 39 and clutch members 40 and 41 are fitted upon the said shaft adjacent the respective pulleys so that one or the other of the pulleys maybe locked to the shaft and impart rotation thereto. These clutch members are connected to a collar 42 which is slidably mounted upon the shaft 30 between the clutch members and is en aged by one end of a lever 43 fulcrumed between its ends and'connected by a link 44 with oneend of a shifting rod 45. This shiftin "rod or bar 45 is provided with laterally extending arms or forks '46 and 47 which pass around or partly around the threadedshaft 34 and are disposed at opposite sides of'the slide 37 so that, when the said slide reaches either end of its move ment, it will impinge against one of said arms'and thereby shift the bar or rod 45 so that thelever 43 will be rocked and the active clutch member 40 or 41 released and the other clutch member thrown in so that the direction of rotation of the shaft 30 will be reversed. Buffer springs 89 are provided around the shaft 34 .at the forks 46 and 47 to cushion the impact of the slide. A supporting link 48 is pivoted at one end upon the end of thecasing 1 and at its opposite end to the end of the bar 45 and the link 44, as shown clearly in Fig. 1, so that the said bar will be held against dropping and will be maintained in operat-iverelation to the threaded reversing shaft 34. Near the op posite end of the bar 45 a second supporting link 49 is provided. Belts 50 and 51 are trained about'the loose pulleys 38 and 39, respectively, and one of said belts is crossed. The said belts also pass around loose pulleys 52 and 53 upon a power shaft 54 and clutch elements 55 are arranged between the" said pulleys and are adapted to lock them to the power shaft, as will be understood. Crossed levers 56 are connected with the respective clutch members 55 and the outer ends of these levers are connected by toggle links 57 and a coupling link 58 with a hand lever 59.

- essence be thrown in and the direction of rotation of -theshaft 30 will, of course, "be determined 'bythe clutch which isthrownin. Assuming that the shaft 30 is rotating in one direction, the worms 17' and 18 will :be rotated as previously; described and the shifting worm shaft or threaded bar 34 will also be rotated through the-mediumof the-gears 32 and 33. "The rotation of the shaft-3 l will, of course, cause the slide or-crosshead37 to move along theY uide' rod 36- whichholds it' to :arectilinear path and erientually the slide will-im- "pings? against the arm 4:6"OI" the arm 47 and impart a slight endwise-movement to the shifting ban-l5 avhich will result in rocking the lever 43 :to one"or' the other side and, consequently, throw out the active clutch 40 or 41 and throw in the inactive clutch, thereby reversing the direction of rotation of the shaft 30. YVhen the shaft 30 is reversed, of course, the direction of travel or rotation of all the working parts will be likewise reversed and the action is so timed that the reversal will occur when the brushes have reached either the tops or the bottoms of the filter cells. 7 V Extending longitudinally of the casing at the bottom of the same and near one side thereof is a wash-out pipe which is rotatably supported in the end walls of the casing 1. One end of this wash-out pipe is closed and has secured thereto a lever or crank 61 which is connected by a link 62 with the crosshead or slide 37. It will thus be seen that as the said slide travels back and forth the pipe 60 will be rocked or OS- cillated and the stream of water or steam escaping therefrom will be consequently so directed that it will play directly upon the brush chains and will follow the movements thereof. The opposite end of this wash-out pipe is swiveled in a boX 62 secured upon the opposite end of the filter casing and supplied with water through a pipe 63 and with steam through a pipe 64 equipped respectively with cut off valves 65 and 66.

The end of the manifold pipe 9 remote from the vacuum pipe 12 leads to a point of deposit for the filtered juices. Each pipe 10 extends up into a filter and is provided, within the cell, with openings 90 through which the filtered juice may escape from the cell. The pipe 10 serves to maintain the shape of the cell at one end thereof while bi-ght of the cell and is formed. with. "openings :92; to facilitate tlr'e' escape of the sfiltered 1111108? i i JVhe'n' the filter'u-is in';operation, the valve" 8H: and the valves .11- i are open 1 and all'rother valves.'areh'closedythe syrup, to be filtered flowing under pressure past the valvea 81 and through the coupling 5 into theras'ing 1t then rises to andflo-ws through the fabrlc of @the filter/cells whereby the impurities are removed, the filtered =ju-ice escaping through !lll18"jpl.pGS wl0eaiid' 9l and; thence to and through the manifold discharge 1pipe 9.,

VVhen' the filter ,is 'clogged,--so that -cleanf is necessary, thevalve Sl -is olosedand the valve; '83 isfofpened to. permit the unfiltered Y syrup to flow :to the reserve tank; Then the-valve 83 isclos'ed aa-nd the valves 82- and 84c are-opened the-outlet valve of the manifold 9 is closechand the valve -l2;;is.-o,pened,

a' vacuum being established through the. lastmentioned valve to hold the-cakes to the filter cellswhile'wateris"admitted through the valve :82 to wash outthe juicesxheld'in the waste matter After the juices--have been thus .dr-iven fii, thevalve :82 is; closed,

and the valve 65 or 66 (or both) is opened and the gearing then set in motion to operate the scrubbing chains and the wash-out pipe 60 in the before-described manner.

Having thus described 7 the invention. I claim:

1. Means for cleaning filters comprising mo a brush element, means for causing said brush element to travel over the filtering surface from, side to side and from top to bottom thereof, and means operating in unison with the movement of the brush element for directing astream of fluid upon the filtering surface at the point of contact of the brush element therewith.

, 2. Means for cleaning filters comprising a plurality of brush elements disposed between and in contact with the opposed surfaces of adjacent filtering elements, means for causing the brushes totravel from top to bottom and from side to side of the filtering elements, and means operating in unison with the movement of the brushes for directing streams of fluid against the filtering elements at the points of contact of the brushes therewith and causing said streams tofollow the movements of the brushes.

8. Means for cleaning filters comprising endless chains of brushes disposed between and in contact with the opposedsurfaces of adjacent filter cells, means for causing the chains of. brushes to travel across the surfaces of the filter cells, means for causing the chains of brushes to travel vertically of the filter cells, and means for directing streams of fluid against the surfaces of the filter cells at the points of contact of the brushes therewith.

4. Means for cleaning filters comprising a plurality of chains of brushes disposed.

.between the opposed surfacesvof adjacent cells with the brushes'in contact with said surfaces, means for effecting travel. of the chains in the direction of. their length, and

means for effecting vertical bodilytravel of faces thereof, vertically dis-posed worms arranged adjacent the series of cells, means for rotating the said worms, said worms being arranged in pairs and each pair comprising a finer and a coarser worm, journal boxes slidably supported adjacent and engaging the several finer worms, shafts mounted in said boxes and extending past the series of filter cells and operatively engaged with the several chains of brushes, and worm gears on the several shafts meshing with the coarser worms.

6. Means for cleaning filter cells comprising endless'chains of brushes disposed between and in contact with the surfaces of the filter cells, means for causing the brushes t travel back and forth across the surfaces of the cell from side to side and from top tobottom thereof, a wash-out pipe rotatably mounted below the cells, and means for rocking said pipe simultaneously with the travel of the brushes.

7. lvfeans for cleaning filter cellscomprising a rotatably mounted shaft, a plurality of brushes disposed between the filter cells and operatively'connected with said shaft whereby to be driven therefrom, a reversing shaft geared to the first-mentioned shaft, a shift ing bar arranged adjacent said reversing shaft and having lateral arms extending over the same, constantly driven loose pulleys upon. the first-mentioned shaft, clutch members adapted to alternately locksaid pulleys to the shaft, connections between said clutch members and the shifting bar, and a slide engaged with the reversing shaft and caused to travel along the same to impinge against the lateral arms of the shifting bar whereby to shift the said clutch members and reverse the direction of rotation of the first-mentioned shaft. a

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

ANTON o. MENGE. [11. 8.] 

